Literature Review
Learning Development Service
19th of November 2015
Leonie Maria Tanczer, MSc.
Learning
Development
Service
LDS Workshop Series
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Week 2 – 8th October 2015 Independent Study & Time Management
Week 3 – 15th October 2015 Literature Search
Week 4 – 22nd October 2015 Essay Writing
Week 5 – 29th October 2015 Referencing
Week 6 – 5th November 2015 Critical Reading and Writing
Week 7 – 12th November 2015 Presentation Skills
Week 8 – 19th November 2015 Literature Review
Week 9 – 26th November 2015 Dissertation and PhD Proposal
Week 10 – 3rd December 2015 Study Skills & Exam Preparation
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Why this workshop?
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Overview of this Session
• What is a Literature Review
– Definition
– Aims
– What you should cover
• Stages in Writing a Literature Review
– 8-Step Approach
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Definition
What is a literature review?
• A critical, analytical account of the existing research on a
particular topic
Why do we write literature reviews?
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Show knowledge of the topic
Keep current
Stepping stone to research/further analysis
Gain credibility
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Definition
What is the aim of a literature review?
• To provide an organised overview of existing research on a
specific topic
• To take a critical and evaluative perspective towards
published research
• To summarise, synthesise and analyse the arguments of
authors
• To uncover similarities and differences or consistencies and
inconsistencies within existing research
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The Literature Review…
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IS NOT
A descriptive summary of
existing literature
A presentation of your
own argument
Organised by source or
written as an annotated
bibliography
An account of every
existing piece of research
related to your topic
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IS
A critical, analytical
account
A synthesis of the
arguments of others
Organised around ideas
or arguments
An account of a selection
of writings relevant to
your work
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What Should a Literature Review Cover?
• Background Information (historical, political, cultural
or scholarly)
• Definitions of Key Words or Topics
• Theoretical Foundations
• Related Studies, Experiments or Findings
• Current practice or issues e.g., methods
• Various arguments and viewpoints surrounding the
issue
• Media Representation
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Steps in Writing a Literature Review
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Refine your Topic
Organisational Planning
Search for Sources
Read and Record
Reflect and Organise
Outline
Write, Revise, Write Revise
Refine your Reference List
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1. Refine your Topic
• Brainstorm
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What do you already know?
What information do you still need?
What are related topics?
What angle do you anticipate
your writing will take?
• Refine
– Write a possible aim for your literature review
– List some keywords and synonyms that may identify the
sources you will seek to review
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2. Organisational Planning
• Before you begin reading, decide how you will track
bibliographic information e.g., Refworks, Zotero
• How will you record important points and ideas that
you are gathering e.g., digital document, notes
sheets
• How will you organise sources e.g., printed or
electronically
• How you not lose track of time e.g., backward
mapping
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Research Document Notes
(using Excel)
Author(s)
Year
Location/Key
words
Title/Notes
Dwyer, Carol
Anne
1998
Formative
Assessment,
teacher
training, UK
Assessment and Classroom Learning: theory and practice
-Reaction to Black and Wiliam
- How you support and train teachers
-UK teachers no assessment training
-Assessment barriers
2008
NCLB
Critique, US
Experts Analyze NCLB at Askwith Education Forum
- NCLB not working
- NCLB up for reauthorization
- Accountabilty itself is not solution to decreasing achievement
gap!
- statement at Boldapproach.org
- Problem with NCLB accountability is looks only at one thing out
of many functions of schools
- suggests different accountability system
- problem is poverty
Anderson, Jill
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3. Search for Sources
• Use your key words
• Timeframe (how recent should sources be?)
• Types of sources (e.g. books, peer-reviewed
journals, newspapers and magazines, conference
papers, government publications, artwork,
publishers’ websites, online discussions)
• Begin searching more creatively and narrow as you
go
• Library Support: Subject librarian
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4. Read & Record: Strategically
For instance:
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Highlight i.e., notes in margins
Summarise i.e., note taking sheets
Reflect i.e., mind maps
Store i.e., store source info
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4. Read & Record: Critically
• First read
– Skim abstract i.e., focus on your needs
– Identify essential parts i.e., methods, findings, sample
etc.
• Dig Deeper
– Evaluate the text i.e., strengths, invalid assumptions,
contradictions etc.
• Digging Deeper
– Compare and contrast the source with previous
readings i.e., agreements, disagreements, does author
acknowledge or neglect the work of others
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5. Reflect and Organise Your Sources
• Review the information (build sample overarching
claims / assertions; develop storyline):
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Mind mapping
Free writing
Bullet points
Organisational Charts (e.g., Microsoft Visio)
Notes organised by source
Notes organised by theme
Notes organised chronologically
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6. Outline Possible Structure
• A literature review should have an introduction,
main body and conclusion
• Main body organised by headings and subheadings
informed by your readings
• Organise the structure in a logical way that flows
• Your paper begins to take shape as you organise the
information under each heading and subheading
• Be as detailed as possible
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7. Write, Revise, Write, Revise
• A detailed outline will make your writing process more
thorough and efficient
• Use evidence: sources must be backed up with evidence
to show that what you are saying is valid
• Summarize and synthesize your sources: select only the
most important points in each source to highlight in the
review
• Find a buddy with whom you can swap papers
• Follow the style guidelines recommended by
your course
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8. Refine Your Reference List
• Refer to your student handbook/module guide
• Follow the guidelines of your referencing format
(MLA, Harvard, Vancouver?)
• Use your bibliographic software (if applicable)
• Read and reread your final draft with a specific eye
for referencing format and consistency: your
literature review is led by the sources so they need to
be accurately detailed
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Personal Recommendation
• Have a look at Systematic Literature Reviews in your
field
• Cluster the literature around themes e.g., theory,
method, focus, common findings etc.
• Ask yourself: What do you actually want to say and
achieve with this overview?
• Have a Word document for all you
your information
• How do you save documents?
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Questions?
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We can help you develop your academic skills.
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Contact us:
028 9097 3618
[email protected]
www.qub.ac.uk/lds